


Late Night Call

by ignatiuscrose



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Julian Finally Gets Some Sleep Aren't You Proud?, Rain, Sleep, The Arcana MC, it's soft?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 22:18:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17252417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignatiuscrose/pseuds/ignatiuscrose
Summary: A neighbor visits requesting help, and Julian wakes up alone and in a panic.





	Late Night Call

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story some time ago (will admit, this is a better work) and I'm going to try and get some previously written stories out of the way and on here. Once again, like probably the majority of these stories will probably include my MC Cesf. Also because it's the 31st for me still, happy new years!

It had taken Cesf a while, but she had finally, _surprisingly_ , coaxed Julian into going to sleep, with the use of asking him non-stop until he agreed, and some tea. She herself had planned on hitting the hay, but when she finally laid down to sleep, her dosing was shortly interrupted.  


It was after she spent a good half hour of reading, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain that started up outside, snapping her fingers and all of the candles in the room dying out as if a wind just gusted through the room. She was comfortably nuzzled against Julian, already fading off into sleep, as the lightest, gentlest _knock-knock_ sounded at the door downstairs.  


Cesf ignored it for the first few seconds, until it gnawed at her stomach, forcing her to get up while praying not to wake Julian.  


She snuck out of bed and downstairs to the entrance, lighting a candle along the way to provide her with light, slowly opening the door as to keep silent.  


It was one of the neighbors from down the street. Her eyes were wide, and her expression was worried, scared. She was wringing her hands, thick shawl seeming slightly dampened by the rain.  


"C-Cesf?" She asked, attention snapping to the door when it moved open, Cesf standing in the doorway, concern knitting her eyebrows together.  


"Yes, what's the matter? Would you like to come inside?" Cesf said softly, hugging her arms close to her, holding an elbow as a draft from outside slowly drifted in.  


"No, no, thank you." The lady shook her head. "I'm sorry for bothering you so late, but... W-We need some help." It seemed like she was bracing herself for the worst, for Cesf to decline her. It was a bit late, but luckily, Cesf hadn't been fully asleep.  


Cesf blinked. She looked past the woman for a moment, out into the rain, weighing her options. She then turned and looked back into the house. What about Julian?  


She turned back as the woman spoke up once more, voice hurried and nervous.  


"I-It's okay if you can't help, it's late, and-" She started, shoulders appearing tense even under her bundles of clothes.  


"Oh, no, _my_ , it's alright." Cesf stopped her, feeling pity towards the lady in front of her. "I'll be a moment, let me go grab something to put on," Cesf said, holding up a finger and disappearing back into the house, leaving the door open just a foot.  


Cesf stealthily moved apace back upstairs, finding the first thing to write a note on. She snatched up a piece of paper and grabbed a steel pen, undoing the lid to a jar of ink.  


She scrawled something on it, taking a good moment to put some tired heart into it, and set it on the nightstand next to the bed. Cesf then grabbed a pair of slippers and grabbed the first thing she saw that might shield her from the rain: Julian's coat.  


Throwing it over her shoulders, she made her way back down the stairs, as quietly as ever. She slipped the slippers on, pulling the back over her heel trying to make it to the door, and snapping the lit candle out.  


Cesf left out the door, closing it mutely, and followed the woman down the street. She pulled the noir coat over her head, shivering from the sudden cold.

 

Julian stirred, turning and rubbing a bleary eye. He noted that there was a loss, a missing presence.  
Cesf. Where was Cesf?  


Julian's sat up, searching the room around him, fully awake and senses alert with panic. He reached over, trying to will his magic to light the candle, resting on the nightstand. To his luck, the wick kindled a small flame. Julian was filled with pride briefly before the anxiety set in again.  


It took the auburnet a moment to realize the note on the nightstand, picking it up with a trembling, weary, delicateness, eyes scanning over it.  
  
_Julian, if you wake up, please don't worry. A neighbor came to the door and requested help, I'm just down the street. I'll be back soon, so please try to go back to sleep and get some rest. You need it. Sorry for the sudden disappearance. I love you._  
-Cesf

"-- I love you..." Julian read the last part aloud. The note filled him with some feeling of reassurance, that is, until his mind starting wandering. The thoughts, the possibilities. How long has Cesf been gone? Did she leave recently? He hadn't a clue of how long he's been asleep. The ink seemed almost fresh though, with its scent lingering on the paper.  


Julian's hand fell to his lap, note flowing with it, as he stared out the window. It was still dark out, and he both heard and saw the rain. It wasn't heavy, but moderate.  


His gaze swept across the room until it shot back to the chair Julian had slung his coat and jacket over, only, his coat was missing. His jacket was the only thing that was there.  


Had she taken his coat? That would make the most sense.  


Julian couldn't fight the urge to get up from the bed and start pacing, mind far too busy to even think about sleeping again.

 

  


The air was cool, and the rain continued to pour down from the dark sky above. A few lights from a couple of windows provided some relief on the struggle to see, along with the just barely showing moon itself.  


Cesf had drawn Julian's coat around her form tightly, briskly making her way down the street back home.  


The woman had first turned to Cesf because Cesf had been one of the only persons she was even the slightest bit familiar with in the area, and sheepishly admitted that she was aware that Cesf tended to stay up later than other residents nearby. Cesf brushed it off, only saying she was glad the woman turned to her for help.  


The 'we' was the lady and her husband, their child wasn't sleeping because of a sudden nightmare that had left the girl too shaken for comfort. This was the first time they didn't succeed in calming her down. It also didn't help that their candles had gone out, and any way of lighting them had run out.  


Julian's coat swayed behind Cesf as she came up to the house, already feeling glad she won't have to hear the sound of her heels clicking against the ground for any longer. Her pace picked up, almost jogging to the front of her abode.  


When she arrived, she opened the door carefully as to make no sound, slipping her slippers off by the door.  


Water just _slid_ off of the dark coat, almost forming a pool below her.  


Before shutting the door, she stepped back outside, thankful for the portico, and tried to shake out the coat.  


To Cesf's satisfaction, a good sum of the water flung off of the coat, barely getting her. She brought it back inside, hanging it over a wooden chair to dry.  


Quietly, she made her way across the room to the stairs, starting up them.  


Julian's attention snapped to the stairs, hearing the slightest creak of wood under weight, eyes widening when Cesf finally came into view.  


"Cesf--" He began, Cesf's head tilting up to look at Julian with her own expression of surprise.  


"Julian?" She asked, walking over to him. He was standing, the now unkempt rug showing proof of pacing.  


Julian met her halfway, taking her upper arms into his hands, almost as if he hasn't seen her in days, months.  


"Cesf, where-" He was cut off by Cesf's voice, tired but concerned.  


"How long have you been awake?" Her brows furrowed, a hand reaching up to rest lightly on his cheek.  


"Hardly long, I just woke up and suddenly--you were gone." Julian said, mismatched eyes searching Cesf's face as he leaned into her touch.  


"You saw my note, correct?" Cesf's head turned to the nightstand, eyes moving over until she saw it on the bed, answering her question.  


"Certainly. How long have you been out?" Julian finally began his own interrogation.  


"Not awhile, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes." She replied, hand falling back to her side as Julian attempted to follow it briefly. "One of the neighbors stopped over, she needed help."  


"Did you borrow my coat, then?" Julian continued, hands relaxing and moving down along Cesf's arms until he reached her wrists.  


"Yes, I assumed you hopefully wouldn't have mind." Cesf moved closer, pressing a kiss to the corner of Julian's mouth and catching his hand in hers, moving over to the bed.  


"Would you be able to sleep?" She asked, stopping just before it. A look of doubt washed over Julian's weary face.  


"I don't know, Cesf--" He began. Cesf sighed.  


"For me? You need to rest, Julian. We both need sleep, and better habits not to mention." Cesf grabbed his other hand, holding both of them shoulder-width apart.  


Julian looked off to the side.  


"I, um, suppose." He said finally, giving in. Cesf leaned up and pressed another kiss to this time Julian's lips. Julian's hands slid from Cesf's to her forearms, then up further, until Cesf pulled away.  


Cesf sat on the bed, moving to her own side, the bed being kind of small as Cesf never had much of a use for a large bed previously. Julian followed, pulling Cesf against him, breathing in her scent that was mixed with one of fresh rain from outside.  


The rain reduced to a small sprinkle, still audible from the window, but gentler and welcoming then it had previously been.  


Cesf pulled a blanket up over both of them, turning to rest forwards against Julian who held her close.  
"Actually try to sleep, alright?" Cesf said, almost if asking him to rest. Julian nodded and hummed, pressing his nose against her hair, arms tightening around Cesf so that he had a firm but not uncomfortable hold on her.  


As much as Cesf didn't want to be the first to fall asleep, she couldn't help it. Her eyes drifted shut, taking in the warmth Julian radiated, and slowly starting dosing again.  


Julian was content with the situation, sighing oh so gently. It might have been the remaining effects of the tea, or Cesf's tiredness was contagious enough to make him drowsy, but Julian felt himself slip off, even if lightly, Cesf in his arms.


End file.
